Veljko Despot

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Veljko Despot, Croatian, record company executive and journalist
Veljko Despot, Croatian, record company executive and journalist

Veljko Despot, born March 4, 1948 in Belgrade. Since 1950, lives in Zagreb. He is a well-known name from Croatia in music and entertainment industry. A record business entrepreneur, product manager, music producer and record company executive, a journalist. He has been involved in all aspects of the music industry as top-level manager-director, owner of a record label, music journalist, reporter, chief editor, radio and TV program director.

At age of 18 started his career in local press ("Plavi vjesnik") reporting from London on swinging sixties and trilling pop and rock scene. He was the first journalist from former Yugoslavia who specializes in covering international popular music. The first East European journalist who has interviewed The Beatles. This interview was published as one of his first articles, in "Plavi vjesnik" (April 17, 1967).

In late sixties writes in "Plavi vjesnik", "Arena", "Studio" and "Vjesnik". Had published interviews with many big artists such as Pink Floyd, The Hollies, Bee Gees, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Marc Bolan etc.

Signs in 1967 a producer agreement with the biggest Yugoslav record label Jugoton, a first record producer agreement in Yugoslav recording industry. Produces in 1967 an EP release for famous Slovenian rock group Kameleoni. In 1968 produces their soundtrack for a movie "Sončni krik" ("Sunny Cry") by Boštjan Hladnik, legendary Slovenian film director.

Founded in 1968 in Zagreb the Jugoslavenski Beatles Fan Club/Yugoslav Beatles Fan Club, a branch of The Official Beatles Fan Club from Liverpool, covering most of East European countries.

Co-founder and on the board of editors of the "Pop Express" from Zagreb (1969-1970), one of first music papers in Yugoslavia, a legendary magazine that soon reaches cult status.

Since 1971 also contributes abroad, New Musical Express.

Had a rare privilege to attend recording sessions by some of the greatest rock artists and witnessed creation some of the most important albums ever in music history, like The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (London, 1967), Rolling Stones "Let It Bleed" (London, 1969), Pink Floyd "Ummagumma" (London, 1969) and Arsen Dedić "Homo volans" (Zagreb, 1973) and wrote about it.

From 1968 contributes as freelance on radio stations and since 1972 on the Croatian Radio Television. Throughout the seventies, eighties and nineties had numerous music reports on television, interviews, portraits and special programs, all concerning international popular music. Also a music director in TV drama. In the mid-seventies brings first music videos on Yugoslav television and in eighties introduces first music advertising on TV.

In 1974, he ties with Jugoton and establishes International Department for this largest record company in Yugoslavia. Acquires major license deals for the company and works with some of the biggest labels in the world and their artists, managers and publishers, record company executives, for their product releases in the territory of former Yugoslavia. Jugoton in seventies through eighties and up to beginning of nineties had licence for majority of international repertoire and had exclusive deals with majors and many independent international record companies, such as EMI, Warner Music, BMG, Decca, Island, Chrysalis, Virgin, Motown and many more, covering majority of best international music production. This was the only record company in this part of Europe and all of Eastern Europe which has been releasing consecutive for decades international repertoire, much due to own mission by Veljko Despot.

He was also music editor on two most successful albums by the biggest group in Yugoslavia ever Bijelo dugme, in 1975 for "Šta bi dao da si na mom mjestu" and in 1976 for "Eto! Baš hoću".

At his post in record business in Croatia he initiates and helped bringing to Yugoslavia many important artists, like Deep Purple in 1975, The Rolling Stones (1976), Paul McCartney & Wings (1976), Queen (1979), Elton John (1984), Dire Straits (1985), Laurie Anderson (1990), Eros Ramazzotti (1990, 1994), Pet Shop Boys (1991), David Bowie (1990, 1996, 1997) and many others. For most of these artists it was their first visit in East Europe and a thrill for their fans that had first opportunity to see major international rock artists playing live.

In 20 years of successful running International Division in Jugoton as music editor and international director he managed to release in this part of Europe thousands of most important albums, singles and music videos in history of popular music, making doors wide open to pop and rock culture in Yugoslavia and East Europe.

In 1991 after Croatia became independent from old Yugoslavia, Jugoton became Croatia Records and he remained with the company until 1994.

In 1994, he establishes and runs his own record company Koncept VD, a label exclusively representing BMG Music, MCA, Geffen Records and GRP Records repertoire in new states on territory of former Yugoslavia. Signs domestic artists as well - greatest Croatian singer-songwriter Arsen Dedić and big club attraction from Zagreb the Soul Fingers. Their albums on Koncept label won prestigious award Porin for best releases in Croatia. With his own record company he set in the nineties new standards for operations of such a label in Croatia and in 1998 he received a recognition from the Croatian government as one of top private entrepreneurs in Croatia.

Veljko Despot
Veljko Despot

In 1999, he created and runs since the Simbol Music, a consulting company that assists other artists and labels in being involved in the music business.

In 2000 and 2001, he also runs the Cantus label (a record division of the Croatian Composers Society, HDS). Signs for the label many big names in Croatian popular music (Toni Cetinski, Arsen Dedić, Goran Karan, Matija Dedić, Tamara Obrovac, etc.) and releases their albums, winning many new Porin awards again.

American corporation from Florida the Neweurope Concepts, Inc. signed him in utilizing his services in running and operating NEMEC – Neweurope Media & Entertainment Center in Europe that screens out the best of music, recording artists, their releases, songs and videos, as well as European TV programs, for marketing in the United States. He is at post as the President and CEO of Neweurope Media & Entertainment, a subsidiary of Neweurope Corporation (NEC).

He is one of founding members of the Croatian Phonographic Association, HDU (established in 1995).

Is one of three founding members of Croatian music award Porin (established in 1993) for outstanding achievements in Croatian recording industry, an equivalent of the Grammy Awards.

Since 1993 he is a member of The Recording Academy in the United States and since 2000 he is also a member of The Latin Recording Academy.

[edit] References

HDU (Croatian Phonogarphic Assotiation) (2000). HDU (Croatian Phonographic Assotiation) (Croatian). HDU (Croatian Phonographic Assotiation).

Dragutin Matošević, Editor in Chief, Barikada (April, 2004). Barikada (Croatian). Barikada.

Wikipedia contributors (2007-05-28). Encyclopedia (Croatian). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.

NEWEUROPE Media & Entertainment. NEWEUROPE Media & Entertainment Center (English). NEWEUROPE Corporation. Retrieved on [[2003]].

NEWEUROPE Corporation. NEWEUROPE Corporation, (English). NEWEUROPE Corporation. Retrieved on [[2002]].

  • Oraić Tolić, Dubravka (1992). Croatian War Writing 1991/92: Appeals, Viewpoints, Poems / Hrvatsko ratno pismo 1991./92.: apeli, iskazi, pjesme. Zagreb: Institute for Literary Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy University of Zagreb, 640. UDK 355.019(497.5)"1991/1992".